Tresviso Caves Project

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CA-8: Cueva de Concha Vies

(Cueva'l H.ou'l Probe, Concha de Bies)
Area:Invernales de la Caballar
East, North:359388, 4788706 (nearby)
Coordinate Quality:GPS
Long, Lat:-4.7318069438447, 43.238019323039 (map)
Elevation (m):1198
Length (m):505
Depth (m):-212
System:
Active Lead:
Survey Available:

Approach
Above Sotres there is an obvious aerial mast, by several cabanas (Invernales de la Caballar). Follow the obvious track, down into the Tejera depression. The track heads down hill and joins another track, follow this over a dry river bed, the track starts to go slightly uphill and to a junction, take the left footpath about 3m and turn in the shake hole, through bracken to find the entrance to the cave.

Entrance
There is a limestone crag, with a small car size boulder next to the entrance.

Description
The entrance is a short climb down of half a metre. Follow the entrance passage to a ramp and head down to an obvious passage on the left, after which turn right and keep following the passage downwards. Down a calcite ramp, leads a little further down to two ways on, straight head and a less obvious route on the right (both routes reunite at the start of the first large pitch series)

Follow the less obvious route and climb down into a chamber and the top of the first pitch. The 13m pitch can be rigged direct via 2 bolts and a natural, with 2 short rebelays to bottom. One route goes off to the right (looking into cave) a few metres down this pitch but has not been investigated. Instead follow the ‘alternative’ route on survey. Follow obvious meander down short climb down to head of P3 (2 bolts), via another short section of meander to P5 (3 bolts). This takes you to the head of the superb P60 rigged as a P15 to large ledge then traverse across this to rig a P45 via 3 bolts and a short rebelay bolt a few metres down to gain a fine free hang to floor. Across from here is a single bolt for handline down C5 to gain streamway.

From here follow passage to short climb down which brings you to the top of the fine P15. 3 bolts allow for traverse and Y hang. Opposite appears to be an obvious passage that has yet to be investigated. Follow streamway for short distance where it drops R5. Rigged via two bolts and a deviation. Don’t drop to floor as this is tight and wet but swing slightly into larger passage a few metres off floor, then east climb down to regain streamway. This soon narrows again to a P5 (natural and two bolts) which quickly takes you to the head of another roomy pitch (P13 rigged via 4 bolts). Bottom of this has two options – the left-hand branch which is about 5m above floor level of base of main drop and gained by swing onto suitable ledge and traversed across, or the right which continue at base of pitch at stream level.

Left branch drops down via a short, inclined climb to a P7 rigged via 2 bolts high up and then via two further bolts as rebelay or deviation options. Continuation passage now changes in nature into low passage with two short climbs down before reaching head of P7 gained via a flatout slot best taken on left. Bolt before start of this with two at head of pitch which has a good ledge at top after the slot. Follow passage to 2m climb down (bolt and natural for rope) before shortly gaining the head of a P15 into a roomy chamber (3 bolts at top with bolt for short deviation around halfway down. This lands you in a roomy chamber at the end of which is a large block at top of final P36. Rigged via two bolts to enable a wide unequal Y hang. Rock here is a band of highly eroded calcareous sandstone and thus very suspect in many places. Two bolts placed around 5m and 7m down to enable rebelay / deviation options. Two options towards base of pitch – either continue to floor via bolt rebelay option, or descent through window on right to gain a higher branch of the chamber you are descending into. Current end of explored cave and further progress requires enlarging tight continuations.

Right branch has only been followed for short distance via an awkward section of rift (enlarged in a couple of places) to short climb down (natural and bolt) to gain head of P8 (?) rigged via 3 bolts and deviation if water at high level. At right of head of pitch is a passage not investigated. Base of pitch is a roomy chamber which then degenerates once again into a tight awkward rift that was not pushed on this trip but continues into previously explored cave.

Reference
G.E. Dianu Burlon, Asociacion de Espeleologia de Castrillon, Grupo de Espeleologia Mefisto (1996)
S.E.B. Escar (2010)
T.C.P (2023)

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